Manchester United and Liverpool are reportedly monitoring Udinese wonderkid Simone Pafundi - but could be thwarted by Brexit rules.
Pafundi became the youngest player in Serie A history at the end of last season, when the 16-year-old was given his debut in the final outing of the campaign. In doing so, the midfielder became the first player to be born in 2006 to feature in a top-flight match.
And clubs across Europe are now said to be taking notice of the Italian, with The Sun suggesting there is heavy Premier League interest. Along with North-West rivals United and Liverpool, Leicester and Everton are also said to be looking at his situation moving forward.
However, Jurgen Klopp and Erik ten Hag look set for disappointment, with Brexit ensuring British clubs can’t sign a player from Europe until they are 18. That could open the door for La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona to swoop in.
There are also concerns about whether Pafundi will ever have the physicality for the English game, due to his diminutive frame at just 5'5". Udinese boss Gabriele Cioffi has also admitted that there was some concern about throwing him in so young, claiming he is not yet at the physical level required.
"He is an extremely useful lad who has been training with us for four or five months – we were afraid of throwing him in too early," Cioffi explained.
"He is an undisputed talent – he has the ability to become a top player, like all the youngsters in the team, such as [Destiny] Udogie and [Lazar] Samardzic. But they have much work to do – they are only at the beginning of the climb."
Cioffi added: "It's a reward for him [Pafundi] as he's been training with us for two or three months and he's a born footballer. The only difference between him and the professionals is on a physical level. He's got the talent and the desire. I wanted to give him a few minutes today but it wasn't possible."
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s summer window is set to explode into life with the imminent arrival of Benfica striker Darwin Nunez. The Uruguayan’s move to Anfield could eventually cost a club record £85.3million and is due to be formally completed this week.
HAVE YOUR SAY! How many signings do Man Utd need to make this summer? Let us know in the comments
As for United and their new manager Ten Hag, they have so far been unable to complete any signings, with the impact of no Champions League football being firmly felt. Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong is reported to be the Dutchman’s top target, but there is a reluctance from the player himself, who refused to discuss the speculation whilst on international duty with Netherlands.
"Are you leaving the Catalan beaches for the cold of Manchester?" a reporter asked De Jong on Saturday evening, to which he laughed and replied: "No... I can't say anything." Barca have already turned down a £60million bid for the midfielder, who are looking for closer to £70million for his services.
